History of Flight
On March 22, 2014, at 0400 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N8309L, was substantially damaged when it collided with powerlines during a forced landing to a highway in Safety Harbor, Florida, near Saint Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Clearwater, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, while a second passenger was seriously injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to PIE. The flight departed John C Tune Airport (JWN), Nashville, Tennessee at 2338 eastern daylight time on March 21, 2014. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot completed an earlier leg of the cross-country flight uneventfully, from Campbell Airport (C81), Grayslake, Illinois to JWN. During the second leg, the pilot radioed a "fuel emergency" to air traffic control at 0359:36. The controller queried the pilot twice as to his request and at 0400:03, the pilot replied "landing on the highway sir, fuel emergency." No further transmissions were received. The airplane subsequently impacted powerlines about 6 miles north of PIE.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft, serial number 28-8190112, was a four-seat, low-wing, fixed tricycle-gear airplane manufactured in 1980. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower engine with a Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on November 1, 2013, at 9,221 total aircraft hours. The engine had accumulated 5,672 total hours, of which 1,420 hours since the most recent major overhaul in 2007. According to the tachometer, the airplane had flown about 21.6 hours since the annual inspection. The airplane was equipped with two 25-gallon fuel tanks (48 useable gallons). It was completely fueled with 44 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation gasoline prior to departing JWN.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on October 31, 2013, at which time he reported 1,549 total flight hours, with 64 hours in the previous 6 months. The pilot's logbook was not recovered. He had owned the accident airplane since 2007.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage came to rest upright, nose-down, oriented on a southeasterly heading, on a highway beneath the powerlines. All major components were accounted for. The engine and cockpit area were crushed inward and the cabin roof had separated. The cabin roof exhibited an impact mark consistent with a wire strike, similar in size to an approximately 1.25-inch-thick aluminum powerline that had separated during impact. The powerline was located about 160 feet above the highway and oriented perpendicular to it.
The left wing leading edge had impact damage. The left main fuel tank remained intact with about 4 ounces of fuel recovered. The right wing was undamaged except for partial separation of the right flap; the right fuel tank was compromised at its fuel drain and did not contain an appreciable quantity of fuel. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left main tank. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all control surfaces to the mid-cabin area. The propeller was removed; crankshaft rotation and thumb compression were attained on all cylinders. Approximately 1 ounce of fuel drained from the carburetor bowl was light blue, clear, and consistent with 100LL aviation gasoline.
A handheld Garmin 496 GPS was recovered and data downloaded. It showed the flight departed C81 at 1930 and arrived JWN at 2312, then departed JWN at 2338.
Medical Examination
An autopsy performed by the State of Florida, District Six Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as blunt trauma. Toxicological testing detected cocaine and several of its metabolites in the pilot's cavity blood, urine, and liver, including benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, cocaethylene, anhydroecgonine methyl ester, and levamisole. No ethanol was detected.